21. Letting out support of poor. § 21. Where the county has not a poor house at which its poor are supported, the overseers of the poor of the respective towns or precincts shall commit the care of such poor persons as shall require to be supported by the county or by the town, to some moral and discreet householder in the town or precinct of sufficient ability to provide for them, and who will enter into a written contract with the county, (or, if the poor are supported by the town, with the town,) therefor upon such terms and conditions as may be approved by the county board or board of town auditors, as the case may be. [R. S. 1845, P. 403, § 6; Board, etc. v. Plaut, 42 III. 324.

22. Bond. 22. Every person to whom the care of the poor of any town or precinct shall be committed, shall execute to the county (or town, as the case may be,) a bond, with such security as the county [*757] board (or board of town auditors, as the case may be,) shall require, conditioned that he will treat every poor person committed to his care with humanity, and afford him the necessary attention and comforts of life suitable to his condition, and that he will fulfill his said agreement for the keeping of such poor according to the true intent and meaning thereof.

[R. S. 1845, p. 403, §6; Board, etc. v. Plaut, 42 Ill. 324.

23. Temporary relief. 23. When any poor or indigent person does not require to be supported wholly by the county, the overseer of the poor may, subject to such limitations as may be prescribed by the county board, render him temporary relief without his being committed to the care of any such person, or being sent to the county poor house. [Rayburn v. Davis, 2 Brad. 550.

24. Aid to non-resident poor-burial. 24. When any non-resident, or any person not coming within the definition of a pauper of any county or town, shall fall sick, not having money or property to pay his board, nursing and medical aid, the overseers of the poor of the town or precinct in which he may be shall give, or cause to be given to him, such assistance as they may deem necessary and proper, or cause him to be conveyed to his home, subject to such rules and regulations as the county board may prescribe; and if he shall die, cause him to be decently buried. [R. S. 1845, p. 402, § 4. See L. 1872, p. 673.

25. Report of overseers to county board. § 25. In all counties in which the poor are not supported by the towns, the overseers of the poor of each town or precinct shall, at each regular session of the county board, and at such other times as the county board may require, make a full report of all their actings and doings, and return a list of all the poor in their respective towns or precincts, specifying the age, sex, condition and infirmities of each. [R. S. 1845, p. 403, $7.

26. Appropriations. § 26. Upon such report being made, it shall be the duty of the county board to make the proper appropriations from the county treasury for the payment of the necessary expenses of such relief and support of the poor. [R. S. 1845, p. 403, 8.

27. Report of overseers to town auditors. § 27. When the poor are supported by towns, the overseers of the poor shall make

such report to the board of town auditors at their regular meeting, who shall audit all accounts and order the payment of such expenses from the town treasury.

28. Powers of county board. § 28. The county board of any county in this State in which the poor are not supported by the towns thereof, as provided by law, shall have power

I. To acquire, in the name of the county, by purchase, grant, gift or devise, a suitable tract or tracts of land upon which to erect and main. tain a county poor-house, and other necessary buildings in connection therewith, and for the establishment and maintenance of a farm for the ' employment of the poor, and to erect and maintain such buildings and establish and maintain such farm; but they shall not expend for the pur chase of any such land or the erection of any such buildings a sum exceeding $3,000, without a two-thirds majority vote of all the members of the county board.

2. To receive, in the name of the county, gifts, devises and bequests to aid in the erection or maintenance of a poor-house, or in the care and support of poor and indigent persons.

3. To make all proper rules and regulations for the management of the county poor-house and poor farm, and of the inmates of the house.

poor

4. To appoint a keeper of the poor-house, and all necessary agents and servants for the management and control of the poor-hou Se and farm, and prescribe their compensation and duties.

5. To appoint a county physician and prescribe his compensation and duties.

6. To appoint an agent to have the general supervision and charge of all matters in relation to the care and support of the poor, and prescribe his compensation and duties.

of the

7. To make all proper and necessary appropriations out of the county [*758] treasury for the purchase of land and the erection of buildings, as authorized by this act, and to defray the expenses necessary in the care and maintenance of the same, and for the support poor, and to cause an amount sufficient for said purposes to be levied upon the taxable property of the county, and collected as other taxes. [Rayburn v. Davis, 2 Brad. 548.

to sell

8. Upon a two-thirds majority of all the members of the board, and dispose of the whole or any part of the poor farm of the county in such manner and upon such terms as they may deem most for the interest of the county, and to make and execute all necessary conveyances thereof, in the same manner as other conveyances of real estate may be made by a county. [R. S. 1845, p. 404, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23; L. 1861, p. 180, 1; L. 1855, p. 132, § I.

29. Account by overseer. 29. The overseers of the poor in each town in counties under township organization (whether the poor are supported by townships or otherwise), and of each precinct in counties not under township organization, shall keep an accurate account, show. ing the name of every person relieved or supported in their town or precinct; the place of his birth; the manner in which he is relieved or sup

ported whether in whole or in part at the expense of the county or town; the amount of the aid furnished; whether the dependency was on account of idiocy, lunacy, intemperance, or other cause, stating the cause. And on or before the first meeting of the county board of September in each year, file a copy of such account with the county clerk of their county.

30. Account by county agent. 30. When the county agent shall furnish relief to any of the poor of the county, he shall keep a like account, and at the same time in each year file a copy of the same with the county clerk of his county.

31. Account by keeper of poor-house. 31. The keeper of the poor-house shall also keep an account, showing the name of each person admitted to the county poor-house; the time of his admission and discharge; the place of his birth; whether his dependence resulted from idiocy, lunacy, intemperance, or other cause, stating the cause; and shall, at the same time, in each year, file with the county clerk of his county a copy of the same, together with a statement showing the average number of persons kept in the poor-house each month during the year. 32. Neglect to report. 32. If any overseer of the poor, county agent, or keeper of the poor-house, shall fail or neglect to make such a report at the time required by this act, he shall, for each offense, forfeit the sum of $25, to be recovered in the name of the county, in any court of competent jurisdiction.

33. Poor to be kept at poor-house. $33. When any county shall have provided a suitable poor-house for the accommodation of the poor of the county, and the same is ready for the reception and care of the poor, all poor persons requiring the care and support of the county shall be cared for and supported at such poor-house, and not in the several towns and precincts in the county, except when they cannot be received in the poor-house, and except as herein otherwise provided. [R. S. 1845, p. 404, § 21.

34. Curative. $ 34. In all cases where counties have voted for the support of the paupers of such counties by townships, and the said counties have acted in good faith for the term of five years under the authority of said vote, in the support of paupers by townships, the acts of said counties and the townships thereof shall be deemed legal and binding, notwithstanding any informality in the time or manner of holding the said elections, or in recording or preserving the records of the same. [L. 1871-2, p. 596, I.

35. Township support-how abandoned. § 35. Upon the petition of not less than twenty legal voters residing in each one of a majority of the towns in any county which shall have adopted the mode of supporting paupers by townships, the county board shall cause to be submitted to the voters of the county, at the next general election for town officers, the question of the continuance of that mode of supporting the poor. The ballots shall be: "For township [*759] support of paupers," or "Against township support of paupers," and notices of the election shall be given, and the votes canvassed and returns made the same as for county officers. If it shall appear by the returns of said election that a majority of the votes cast on that question at said election are against township support of paupers, then that mode

of supporting the poor shall cease, and thereafter the poor shall be sup ported in the same manner as provided by law in counties not having adopted the support of the poor by townships; otherwise the poor of such county shall be supported by townships as heretofore provided. Said question shall not be submitted oftener than once in five years.

AN ACT to provide for the establishment and maintenance of county poor-houses in counties where the separate support of paupers has been adopted. [Approved May 23, 1877. In force July 1, 1877. Laws 1877, p. 144.]

*36. Separate support of paupers. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the county board of any county that has heretofore adopted, or may hereafter adopt the separate support of paupers may, whenever it shall see fit so to do, establish and maintain a county poor-house, and for this purpose shall have all the power given to county boards by sec tion twenty-eight (28) of an act entitled "An act to revise the law in rela tion to paupers," of the Revised Statutes of 1874.

*37. Rate per day. § 2 The county board of any such County, whenever any such poor-house is established, may fix the rate per day or per week that each town shall pay for the support and maintenance in such poor-house for each of their respective paupers, which shall be paid to the county agent in charge of the poor-house, or otherwise, as provided by the county board.

*38. Each town. 3. Each town of such counties may then have its paupers supported in such poor-house, by paying said rate, or may provide for them otherwise, as it shall deem best.

agent upon

for and

*39. When town fails to support. § 4. The county in charge of said poor-house shall not receive any paupers except the order of the overseer of the poor of the town to which paupers belong, and should any town fail to pay for the support of its paupers, the county agent may be authorized by the county board to return such papers to the town to which he or she may belong, or the county may sue recover the amount due for taking care of such paupers. *40. Reports. 5. The county agent shall, as often as required by the county board, make full and complete reports, under oath, moneys received and expended by him, as such county agent, an d furnish such other information in relation to the poor-house and farm as may be required of him.

of all

shall

kept in

P- 145.] SEC. 1.

AN ACT requiring county boards to pay for the tuition of pauper children poor-houses. [Approved May 24, 1877. In force July 1, 1877. Laws 1877*41. County board to furnish money for tuition. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That county boards shall order to be paid out of the treasury a just and equitable sum of money for the tuition of children residing in the county poor-house, and attending any school in this State.

County

pauper district

*42. To whom money to be paid. § 2. Said money shall be paid to the township treasurer of the township in which said district is situated, and said treasurer shall place said money to the cred it of the district where said pauper children attend school.

AN ACT for the regulation of pawnbrokers. [Approved June 4, 1879. In force July 1, 1879 L. 1879, p. 219.]

*1. Pawnbroker defined. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That every person or company engaged in the business of receiving property in pledge, or as security for money or other thing advanced to the pawner or pledger, shall be held and is hereby declared and defined to be a pawnbroker.

*2. Rate of percentage allowed. § 2. It shall be unlawful for any pawnbroker, as herein provided, to charge or collect a greater benefit or per centage upon money advanced, and for the use and forbearance thereof, than the rate of three per cent, per month: Provided, that nothing herein shall be construed so as to conflict with the law pertaining to usury; and the person receiving money so advanced shall not be held to pay any storage, insurance or other charges other than such interest as herein provided.

*3. Penalty for violation of this act. § 3. Every pawnbroker who shall be found guilty of a violation of the provisions of this act, shall, for the first offense, be fined a sum not less than twenty dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars, and for each subsequent offense not less than fifty dollars, nor more than two hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding thirty days, or either or both, in the discretion of the court: Provided, that this act shall not be so construed as to, in anywise, impair the power of cities or villages in this State to license, tax, regulate, suppress and prohibit pawnbrokers as now provided by law.